Images: Daily Herald- Pictures of 2012

Stripes of light turn a shady resting area into what looks like a frog parking lot at Ferson Creek Park in St. Charles.Rick West | Staff Photographer

Lucas Oldham, 6, of Geneva has lift off with his biplane kite during Geneva Park District's annual Kite Festival at Peck Farm Park in September. Lucas attended the event with his father, Michael, and mother, Tania, for the first time.Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

Lupe Morales, 7, lower center right, tries to find out which class room she is in during the first day of school at Gifford Elementary School in Elgin in August.BRIAN HILL | Staff Photographer

Over three hundred American flags representing fallen soldiers since 9/11 whip in the wind while on display along Route 47 near Oak Creek Highway in Huntley for Veterans Day.Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

Jessica Dunteman, 9, of Big Rock rests with one of her hogs before taking a turn to show during the first day of the Kane County Fair in St. Charles.Rick West | Staff Photographer

Bill Keith of Crystal Lake waits for the motorcade escorting the hearse of U.S. Navy Petty Officer John Larimer to drive down East Terra Cotta Avenue in July. Keith, a US Navy Vietnam veteran who served on the USS Cree, ATF-84 (Auxilary Tug Fleet), knew Larimer as a boy scout in Troop 168. Keith, an Assistant Scout Master at that time, remembered Larimer as, "Just a good kid, full of life."Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

West Dundee Firefigher Chris Moore backs away from the heat and fire as several departments battled a fire at Community Thrift Store at the intersection of Routes 72 and 25 in East Dundee .John Starks | Staff Photographer

Eastbound I-88 near Dauberman Road in Kane County was shut down as police investigated an accident. High winds create a wall of dust that closed both lanes temporarily.John Starks | Staff Photographer

Lenard "Sarge" James swings from one side to the other as he and other workers set up the ferris wheel for the 2012 Eyes to the Skies festival in Lisle.Mark Black | Staff Photographer

A cooling rain forces this downtown Naperville shopper to dig for her umbrellas while crossing the Main St. and Van Buren Ave. intersection.Daniel White | Staff Photographer

Jake Wenz, 12 of Naperville jumps off the high board at Centennial Beach in Naperville.Bev Horne | Staff Photographer

Julia Jostes, left, a resident of The Meadows of Glen Ellyn, enjoyed a special social hour in honor of her 100th birthday. As a gift, Julia Jostes received a pair of blue jeans, the first pair she has ever had. "Wow, she gets her first pair of jeans at 100," said her granddaughter Janet Kodatt of Chicago. "She always dressed either in suits, or business casual, her whole life."Daniel White | Staff Photographer

Pat Flynn of Naperville Central attempts to kick it back for a goal over Ivailo Alexandrov of Glenbard East, right.Bev Horne | Staff Photographer

A dirt bike competitor takes to the skies at the DuPage County Fair in Wheaton.Paul Michna | Staff Photographer

Family members arrive at the scene of a fatal fire on Summit Avenue in unincorporated Dupage County near Oakbrook Terrace. Investigators from the DuPage County Sheriff, ATF, and local fire departments were on the scene to investigate suspicious fatal fire that claimed the lives of four people .Mark Black | Staff Photographer

Julio Moreno, 5, of West Chicago waits to hear music as he relaxes behind the Geico Gecko trademark, during the second day of Railroad Days in West Chicago.Daniel White | Staff Photographer

George Hallenbeck with the Great Chicago Cage Bird Club, takes a cage of birds from the house of Dave Skeberdis of Aurora.Bev Horne | Staff Photographer

Jordyn Bowen of Grayslake North reaches for a foul ball at the Grayslake North vs. Marengo girls softball game as part of the state tournament in DeKalb.Paul Michna | Staff Photographer

Kawal Preet and her son Prabhnek, 15 months old, visiting from San Franciso, take part in the candlelight vigil at Illinois Sikh Communty Center in Wheaton in the wake of shootings at a Wisconsin Sikh temple.Bev Horne | Staff Photographer

Two-year-old Quinten Boekholder tries out his football handling skills Friday night during a Lake Zurich home game against Fremd. Quinten's dad, Nate Boekholder, is an assistant varsity football coach for the Lake Zurich Bears.Paul Valade | Staff Photographer

Covering the Via Crusis, or Stations of the Cross, on Good Friday is always an adventure. For the last two years Andres Colon, 21 of Waukegan, has played the roll of Jesus, which involves being whipped with a bare back using leather ropes.Steve Lundy | Staff Photographer

Fremont third grade student Kyle Appelhans gets a close look at a large soap bubble he's blowing during District 79's STEAM Teams program at the Mundelein school. The after-school program explores the connections between science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM).Paul Valade | Staff Photographer

First graders stand on milk crates as they participate in a mock presidential election at Buttlerfield School in Libertyville.Steve Lundy | Staff Photographer

Several bearded dragon lizards are on top of one another as Deb Krohn of Gurnee presents different reptiles and amphibians for children during the Frog Lady program at the Wauconda Public Library.Gilbert R. Boucher II | Staff Photographer

Guitar player Ed Wooten performs with Big James and the Chicago Playboys as the sun sets at Independence Grove Forest Preserve's outdoor amphitheater in Libertyville.Steve Lundy | Staff Photographer

A red-tailed hawk leaves its perch after having a bite to eat on top of a Libertyville lamp post.Paul Valade | Staff Photographer

Personnel from ComEd use a helicopter and a maintenance linesman to work on high-tension power voltage lines along Milwaukee Avenue north of Route 137 in Libertyville. Technicians wear electric-field-resistant suits and because the helicopters are not touching the ground, this doesn't cause a high-voltage arc, and the work can be done on live wires.Gilbert R. Boucher II | Staff Photographer

Members of the Carmel team celebrates after a point when they came from behind to win the first game during the girls high school volleyball game against Lake Zurich .Gilbert R. Boucher II | Staff Photographer

Vernon Hills Police officer Ward Feger reacts to having his head shaved by Martie Gross, with Natural Beauty Salon in Wisconsin, during a Vernon Hills St. Baldrick´s event.George Leclaire | Staff Photographer

Petty Officer 3rd Class Cameron Schwartz, U.S. Navy, surprised his younger sister Jacqueline Trujillio, a freshman at Fremd High School by showing up at the school in Palatine just after surprising his younger brother at Hunting Ridge School.George LeClaire | Staff Photographer

A Blue Heron braved the raindrops searching for a meal and snagged a fish at a Wheeling golf course in early fall.Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Countryside School nurse Mary Anne Wesoloski of Barrington Hills is surprised by the student body as she is presented with the "Excellence in Pediatric Care" award from the Illinois Department of Public Health.Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

"Jack Lemmon" sports a set of goggles as he rides securely in the front basket of Peter Brusen's bicycle in downtown Mount Prospect. Brusen, who resides in the village, says that Jack is a former shelter dog who is most likely a chihuahua-dachshund mix.JOE LEWNARD | Staff Photographer

Sikh women and men hold candles for the vigil that was held in Palatine at the Sikh Religious Society temple to honor and remember those who were killed in a Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting.Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Young and old came to the candlelight vigil held in Palatine at the Sikh Religious Society temple to pray and remember those who were killed in a Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting.Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Cub Scout Collin Hagen, 8, and his father Jerry of South Elgin spend time with soldiers graves in the Bluff City Cemetery following the Memorial Day ceremony in Elgin.John Starks | Staff Photographer

Christine Grobart, holds, son, Tim, 5, of Lombard, back at home and active after a successful heart transplant.Bev Horne | Staff Photographer

Teresa Drozdz of Lake Zurich rests her head on the grave of her daughter Gabriella Drozdz on the one-year annivesary of Gabriella's death. Gabriella died when a driver struck her while walking down Midloathian Road in Lake Zurich.Steve Lundy | Staff Photographer

A panoramic photo of the fans at the first tee Saturday morning during day two of the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club.Jeff Knox | Staff Photographer

The best of images from daily herald staff photographers in 2012. from colorful features to intense high school sports, these images paint a portrait of life in the suburbs of chicago in the year 2012.

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